Eric Clapton-owned watch fetches £2.3 million at auction

The “ultra-rare” platinum-cased item by Swiss luxury watchmaker Patek Philippe, had been acquired by the legendary guitarist 10 years ago. It went yesterday (November 12) for 3.44 million Swiss Francs (£2.3 million), in line with auctioneer Christies’ pre-sale estimate.

Christies spokesman Cristiano de Lorenzo told Reuters: “The Eric Clapton watch was bought by an Asian private collector,” adding that the buyer had been in the room.

The lot was part of Christie’s semi-annual Geneva sale. But the top lot at the seven-hour auction was another platinum chronograph by Patek Phlippe, made in 1952 for legendary US collector JB Champion. It fetched 3.78 million Swiss francs (£2.5 million) and set a new world record for a watch without complications, or features beyond the display of hours, minutes and seconds. That was bought by investment watch fund Precious Time.

The sale ultimately took 27.04 million Swiss francs (£18 milllion), with 96 per cent of the 315 lots on offer finding new owners.

Last year, Clapton sold more than 70 of his guitars at charity auction, raising $2.15 million (£1.35 million) for his Crossroads drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Antigua. His last recorded output was last year’s live album ‘Play The Blues Live From Jazz At Lincoln Center’, with Wynton Marsalis.